thankyou all

massive thanks to all the chipped in and got a badge - its a little thing but it means a lot and helps keep this dream alive

i know there hasnt been much progress for too long but now i have the funds in place to get the 2 motors together

motors are out of the stump puller as of this afternoon and i have dug out all my part engines to help make up the parts deficit

i have amassed 3 sets of cases that are old enough to drop in class so theres a chance i might even manage a spare engine to take with me

they are off to polish etc as soon as they open up after the new year. then its on

might not be the xmas tree knucklehead photo everyones seen but its all mine :)

just in time for...

ok so not in time for anything really. customs held up my last order so all the new goodies are now in stock but have missed the xmas post

but xmas is soo last year anyway, get yourself or a loved one something for just after xmas, might as well spread the gifts right? no point in getting everything on 1 day - make the joy last a little longer

got in mandanas, hats, goggles & all sorts of bits and bats that will keep you warm and seeing things on the road this winter that were low or out of stock

treat the loved one in your life [yourself] to something special this post-xmas-possibly-new year-depending-when-the-royal-mail-decide-you-are-worthy time of year

http://vintagechop.bigcartel.com/

captain cleckheaton

got the bars in from zombie performance - just what i needed, class to deal with

painted them and the headlights up and threw on the pile of levers a panther needs to function. xmas should see a few free hours to do some more on this

phat choppacycle

santa dropped this off this morning early for me - was weighing his sleigh down...

barely started / unfinished project i picked up. frame by briz zo i know thats sound. its not this years shade of 70s chopperdelic whatever but its something ive fancied ever since my first flirtations with custom bikes. a modern choppacycle in the hareem will be nice when its done. just being able to get on and cane it to wherever at speed without carrying a pile of tools / spares and leaving time for "just in case" roadside tinkering etc... i absolutely LOVE old bikes but theres also a use for a modern one in the armoury too

Cheers kenzie

New order in from biltwell. Kenzies latest artwork made it onto my fridge door. Cheers my dear, always makes me smile

xmas orders

everything is still going out the day after your order as always. the mighty royal mail seems to be dragging its heals though. i can but assume its the xmas rush? i have had a few people this last couple of days that have had items take over a week to arrive. i can only apologise on their behalf - sorry, its out of my control once it leaves VintageChop head office, please bear with me

stronger head steadies

ade up at buckland hooked me up with some rather nice looking brackets for the captain. i wasnt too happy with the last welded up design after thinking about it [and bending the frame when i sat on it haha] i had several half arsed methods of making these but these are way better than anything i cooked up. i clearly need more tools, a bloody big press next on the list haha - oh and a bigger workshop to fit it in.. or just outsource the odd thing here and there might make more sense... cheers mate - appreciated

wall of death

dont know why but i seem to be in video mode at the minute

a really nicely shot wall of death vid, well worth killing a little time watching it

THE WALL OF DEATH from benedict campbell on Vimeo.

edr 11 video

vid is out early december - its a good little film, good general feel of the run without stitching anyone up too bad, well played lads

2012 w800

didnt i say they should release it in black??? looks a million times better. black engine / mudguards are pretty damn nice too. oh well - cant wit for these things can you. when mine gets a couple of winters on it i might paint it....

while im a it - i was on about a screen too - well seems that i have a direct line to mr kawasaki or something coz thats out now too - and for a mere £315 !!!! its not even nice looking

another from adam

all very messy and funny on friday night. had the odd pint or 2. you can tell its going to go wrong imminently when you start ordering bombardier by the 4 pint pitcher. friday nights antics slowed me down on saturday a little...

i might have to let adam out of the cupboard more often - at least he actually takes the odd photo or 3

rollerburn was a great time

thanks for the effort to put it on fellas

my mate adam filmed the race

there will be a million pics everywhere so you can see them elsewhere - once again i forgot to live life through a lense and actually lived it instead

non slab city illusive unicorn non event

pic stolen from walt [kickstart cycles] it was awful, really really awful - feel sorry for me having to ride on great roads and camp in the desert with loads of good people...

biltwell / wuss and lots of other people did a great job of making the best of a sticky situation - turned out possibly better than slab would have done anyway - loved the last minute deserted venue

Dragon 2012

So I guess it's on then... Got my ticket this morning. First but if winter camping for the year booked. Happy days

living with the kawasaki w800

so its a few months on now since my test ride / purchase of the w800 back in july. i have stuck about 4000 miles on it now [its mainly my dryish weather bike]

thought id just add a catch up on living with it

its a really gentle almost clasic feeling bike to potter round the back roads or it will pick its skirt up and hammer motorway miles if need be too without a problem. perfect size for nipping in and out of traffic and sits more than happy at 70+ on the motorway whilst still feeling sure footed. the motor is really flexible so you arent stomping up and down the box in town traffic

mpg wise, im seeing around high 40s / low 50s to the gal. which i think is pretty good considering im not exactly gentle on the throttle nor am i 8 stone...

the classic styled tyres are well up to the job even in dodgy weather on greasy roads. its not a race bike but it goes well at any legal speeds. drum brake out back and disk front is a nice combination for this bike nothing too aggressive required its not a heavy bike. they bring it to a stop nicely

i have fitted a w650 rack and it is a direct fit no messing about. i am now just after a screen that will make it more useable on rainy days so i dont have to use the bmw as much

build quality is as i thought - very nice.

so yea - its mainly the lack of extras that is the down i can see, and im not all that into bolt on styling anyway. a rack would be nice but the w650 fits perfect [so why dont they tell you that or just put a different sticker on it instead of me having to buy one and take a chance?] keeping the kick start would have been nice too, and for me the slightly taller bars of the 650 appeal, but with all the wiring etc it would be a real pain in the arse to change them out.

all in all - great little bike that i enjoy riding, go get a test ride if you can, they are a fun alternative to a classic bike when you dont want the bother of hopeing it will start or wondering if you will break down etc. [but not a replacement for]

Mobile blogging test

Nothing of great interest. Just checking the blogging app out. But here's a pic of the proposed head steady brackets I've sent out for laser profiling.

bars done

new bars done for the captain

courtesy of zombie performance fingers crossed should work well for it

Twin Engine Tuesday

33 motor into the captain

been having a ponder and decided to combine the 2 panther builds into the 1

the captain will be the basis of chopperdom, and the '33 motor will go in there along with the invaders and a couple of other choice parts

im thinking the motor is looking pretty damn sweet in there - i LOVE this motors looks

leopard - its the future

i knew leopard print seats would be all the rage as soon as i said i was thinking of one - ahh the life of someone so on the pulse of fashion....

pic from mooneyes - stolen from the great http://sakeracers.blogspot.com

STD panhead cases for sale

selling my STD panhead cases, great condition

im looking for £400 for them

get in touch - vintagechop@gmail.com

paradise lost

popped down to conrads show last night - of course i didnt remember to take and pics but the a lot of the same faces and a decent line of bikes outside - always fun to see the posh folk mingling with scrubber bikers.

nice to see some faces again, and great artwork by the man himself. if you are close by pop on down for a look - well worth a visit, oh i met stirling moss there too - thats pretty cool...

Running for 4 weeks at

The Gauntlett Gallery
90-92 Pimlico Road
London SW1W 8PL
Opens 14th October 2011.

PARADISE LOST ... Being about the time of pioneers and honour.

eddies triumph for sale

eddie has seen the light and is selling his triumph - i think he's hankering after a panther you see - it happens to us all eventually....

help him get a mosheen with the optimum number of cylinders set at a jaunty angle by buying his current bike - as seen in BSH a month or 2 back

1962 triumph t100a, 500cc 5ta engine, sludgetrap up engine rebuild, MOT, ready to ride

offers to eddie but dont waste his time please

more info / pics get in touch with him - eddie@reddice.co.uk

not a bad days work

not a bad day considering i picked up the roller at bennys on saturday afternoon and now have it all in 1 piece in appropriate colours - dark pics at 8pm sunday night - not too bad of a turn round... it is an internet paint job though - looks ok in low res. when the bike comes down again for chrome / polish it will get stripped and done right

coming along nicely

Twin Engine Tuesday

dont know who built it but michael lichter did the shots

rollerburn

well - im going

chopper filler neck / cap needed

chopper filler neck / cap needed like urgently.... this type of thing got to be weld in steel neck

anyone holding anything they could post out like tomorrow?

Wired :)

Rowan popped by at the weekend

did me a favour and sorted the wiring on the trike thats been sitting a little while now.

1 step closer to offending most if not all of my mates who all hate trikes haha - do i care? not a jot!

loving it - i robbed the mag off the trike the other week to get the solo panther running again but as soon as i get that back from rebuild im on to shake down rides / getting it legal

happy days

cheers mate

sidecar time

starting to look for an outfit again for winter. quiet day at the coalface so perusing popular mechanics online and found this gem.

anyone know of a complete reliable rig going cheap let me know. modernish [90s] jap bike most interesting

Latest Biltwell Tackle In Stock

Now landed and in the store:

• the long awaited 1" biltwell kung fu grips

• new biltwell sanderson foot pegs

• gen 2 seat hinges

Tipple Run 2011 pics

got some pics through from people of the run - apparently me/julian bolting a gearbox back in was a highlight judging by the pics... i normally take riding pics but missed out on a lot of the run, so there seems to be a lack of riding shots - anyone has some and ill get them uploaded

TIPPLE RUN 2012

getting together a loose plan for next years run. we have a couple of ideas to change things up a little but its going to be the same basic format, just with something a little extra hopefully

tipple trouble

kinda sums up my tipple run - got hit in the face by a wasp on the way to the pre night tipple. within not a lot of time i couldnt really see too much - not ideal for riding bikes. hospital job, who were pretty useless. my dad came to the rescue and drove 4 hours down the country to get my with his trailer. i was planning on resting a day and getting back up with the group on friday but slow healing meant i wasnt feeling up to it still. i was going to borrow my dads sporty and hammer across to north wales early saturday morning so i could ride but dad again offered to drag me over there so i could take the panther and get there in time for breakfast instead of a slow potter over on a panther.

lovely days ride on saturday if a bit wet but thats the tipple run. few minor issues but nothing too major. sunday set off after the rugby. was a lovely ride back across. nicest 4 hours riding ive done in some time just pottering along enjoying the roads and scenery, then an hour from home the clutch cable went. having used my spares to sort a mates bike earlier this year and forgotten to replace them in the tool kit that was my adventure over for the week.

huge thanks to everyone that braved the weather and came out to play. but my biggest thanks go to julian for getting me a lovely route together [so im told ha] and being out intrepid leader getting things together and making sure nobody got lost - i dont care what they all say - you're a star mate

STICKERS!!!

arrived this morning - we leave tomorrow - perfect planning eh...

Twin Engine Tuesday

captain cleckheaton

now i have alittle time and a profile photo photochop was in order - this is the general look im aiming towards

triumph on eblag

leights trump is on ebay - cracking bike goes well and does all the things a bike is meant to do - if you are on the lookout for a triumph you could do a lot worse - ebay

The Tipple Run: pack your rain gear

The Tipple Run: pack your rain gear: the weather doesnt stop us, but be prepared for yet another wet tipple run
this is why we camp at pub sites - makes for at least a dry e...

the captain

well - been up to bennys this aft and had a look at the frame now its back - its what i was after

to me its got a certain ugly ducking charm, its what i asked for. tall sissy, dual headlight, bunny bars, high pipe, normal spoke front 21" etc etc to come yet, but im loving it. its what i had in my mind

benny is doing the dry build for me up at boneshaker choppers so i dont have to take time off projects here.

The Tipple Run: slight camping change

the site on thursday has had to be changed

we are now at Drenewydd Farm, SA46 0JR

HERE'S THE UPDATED MAP

View Larger Map

cutter sale

bennys turn to get messed about by ebay wasters. someone that actually wants to buy it get in touch with him please and part with some of your hard earned cash and get a damn fine choppercycle out of it.

panther strip down

and the strip down starts - its really not too bad, the wiring was just plain old nasty so i cut it all out. it was brittle anyway so might as well just be gone with it and start a fresh when i get to needing it. carbs off and soaking hopefully recoverable, she needs a bit more than spit and polish but i always knew that. when i get my rewound mag back ill drop it on and see if she'll run.

black panther running again

dropped a new mag [well old mag, but a working mag] on the panther after after last weekends little jolly on a truck to get home - although a nice nap was had all the way home

also did a little work making the panther into touring mode for the tipple run, wasnt happy with the little rack i made a few weeks back - didnt pack up well so modified the one off the blue basket case i bought and added a pannier

the panther seems much peppier now too - checked the timing properly before i took off the old mag and it was a good few degrees out. had to make up an adapter tool to bring the disk out past the footpeg casting but it was a nice simple job just using the puller holes on the sprocket to attach it.